The present invention relates generally to thermostats and more particularly to the improved control of a building or space's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system through the use of a multi-function thermostat.
A thermostat is, in general, a component of an HVAC control system. Traditional thermostats sense the temperature of a system and control components of the HVAC in order to maintain a setpoint. A thermostat may be designed to control a heating or cooling system or an air conditioner. Thermostats are manufactured in many ways, and use a variety of sensors to measure temperature and other desired parameters of a system.
Conventional thermostats are configured for one-way communication to connected components, and to control HVAC systems by turning on or off certain components or by regulating flow. Each thermostat may include a temperature sensor and a user interface. The user interface typically includes a display for presenting information to a user and one or more user interface elements for receiving input from a user. To control the temperature of a building or space, a user adjusts the setpoint via the thermostat's user interface.